Having researched diet and exercise programs (for the Mac) pretty thoroughly over the past year
or so and tried two or three of them – I knew which criteria were important for me: flexibility,
comprehen­siveness, robustness and a good support record...

by Marksealy

Great App. Extensive Database. Nice Online Service.

I lost 65 pounds using electronic diet logs over the past year and have been searching for a similar,
powerful, robust application for the iPhone. I've found it!

3 December 2014 Simple & Healthful Meal Planner - Plate Method

If you want a simple meal planner, there is nothing quite as simple as the original Plate Method. This meal planner controls both total carbohydrates at meals as well as calories. This is accomplished by making non-starchy veggies the star of the show and having starches and fats take a back seat. Protein foods come to the rescue to help one feel satisfied with reduced carb content. Dessert gets a make over- fresh fruit is featured vs. cakes, cookies or candies.

Plate Method Basics

Plate size: 9 inches. Larger plates mean larger servings, more carbs, and more calories. Use a ruler or tape measurer to measure the diameter of your plate (the widest spread).

Half Plate of Non-Starchy Veggies

You can mix two or more types (e.g. salad and asparagus) or just go double on one type. There are many non-starchy veggies to choose from:

Asparagus

Bamboo shoots

Bean sprouts

Beet greens

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage (green, red, bok choy, or Chinese)

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Chayote

Collards

Cucumber

Eggplant

Green beans

Greens (e.g. spinach, endive, arugula, etc.)

Jicama

Kale

Kholrabi

Leeks

Lettuce

Mung bean sprouts

Mushrooms

Mustard greens

Okra

Onions

Peppers (sweet, hot, etc.)

Radishes

Snow peas (young sugar snap peas)

Spinach

Summer squash (crookneck, zucchini)

Swiss chard (chard)

Tomatoes

Turnip greens

Yellow or wax beans

Yard-long beans

Quarter Plate of Starchy Veggies or Whole Grains

Choose whole foods, minimally processed, and keep the skins on if possible.

Quarter Plate of Protein Food

Protein helps you fill up – meat, fish, seafood, poultry, and wild game. Get the most bang for your calories by choosing lean cuts (trim visible fat), avoid deep-fat fried food, and remove skin from poultry. A quarter of a plate will contain about 3 oz cooked foods, supplying about 21 grams of protein.

Cheese, nuts, and seeds are also good sources of protein, but they are much higher in calories for the same amount of protein grams. For instance, 3 oz of cheddar cheese has about 340 kcal for 21 grams of protein whereas 3 oz of lean pork tenderloin has only 120 kcal for the same amount of protein. 3 oz of peanuts will run you about 560 kcal to obtain 21 grams protein. Read this article about leaner protein choices at MyNetDiary: http://www.mynetdiary.com/protein-foods-in-diet.html

Egg and egg whites are also protein foods. Egg yolk contains cholesterol so if your doctor has recommended limiting the number of egg yolks to consume (usually 1 a day is okay), then go up in egg whites (almost all protein and no cholesterol).

Tofu is also a good source of protein – 6 oz provides about 150 kcal and 15 grams protein. Veggie burgers are an easy way to get more soybean protein with fewer calories. And if you can tolerate gluten, Seitan is high in protein but low in calories (it is wheat gluten with most of the carb fraction removed).

One Serving Milk or Yogurt

The idea is to get a healthful carb that is also high in protein. If you choose unsweetened almond or rice beverage, that is just fine but just be aware that it is lower in protein than milk, yogurt, or soy beverage.

Total Carbs per Meal

Carbs are limited to 3 carb choices per meal (45 grams total carbs per meal). If you focus on whole foods that are minimally processed, then fiber intake is generous – that is good for overall health but also helps you fill up. To learn more about carb choices and diabetes meal planning, please read this article at MyNetDiary: http://www.mynetdiary.com/food-diary-for-diabetes.html

Total Calories per Day

The Plate Method provides an average of 1500 kcal per day if you follow the basic guidelines. Choosing high fat starches (e.g. croissants), higher fat cuts of meats, and adding fats (other than what is used to cook the food) and sugars will also add extra calories.

This meal planner works well when you really follow the guidelines. If you don’t eat veggies, then you will be hungry.

If you prefer to eat smaller meals, you can easily move part of the meal to a snack, about 2 hours after the meal. This works well for both weight control and for Type 2 diabetes – you are just eating the same amount but spread out.